Shoes | Shoe Rule

Those Sexy, Strappy Sandals of Summer

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There is nothing like the feeling of a warm summer day and being able to show off your legs in a pair of strappy sandals. The beauty of this style of shoe is that it can be worn day and night, going from the beach to the club. They can be found in flats, wedges and skinny high heels. It is a versatile shoe that anyone can wear and feel good in them.

Strappy sandals show off the calf, ankle and foot to the advantage of the wearer. For those who are not blessed with a trim ankle, they can still get away with wearing them. Instead of buying a flat, go for a wedge or a heel of some type. The downwards angle of the shoe trims the ankle, providing a welcome illusion. And for those who are not comfortable in a thin heel, consider a wedge instead. The effect is still the same, but much more comfortable to wear. A wedge sandal is unlikely to be clunky as the openness of the straps lighten up the overall look.

While sandals are an eternal style and are available in all sorts of configurations, they are a good pairing with the latest trend of 1970′s influenced clothes. Clothing styles are leaning towards the Halston look of halter top dresses with long leg slits, perfect for pairing with a thigh high laced sandal with a heel. Bell bottom jeans are also returning, so consider a chunky wedge with brown leather straps. Although clunky sounding, there is still plenty of sex appeal in this combination.

Filed Under: Latest Styles, Shoes Tagged With: Sandal, Shoe, Srappy sandals

Getting the Best Shoe for the Money Spent at the Discount Store

Shoes are a girl’s best friend. Forget the diamonds; they’re just way too expensive. Just look at Imelda Marcos – she really knew her shoes! She certainly spent money on them like it was no-body’s business. The rest of the world can only dream and settle for wearing lesser quality footwear. And here is where paying attention to the shoe will pay off.

There are so many discount shoe stores these days, making it all too easy to find a deal. But sometimes the deals are too good to be true. A sexy pair of shoes for $15 gives $15 worth of wear. Maybe a few nights out on the town and that is it. Follow the tips below and get the most shoe for the dollar.

Look at the construction of the shoe. A majority of shoes these days are glued together with industrial strength adhesives, which is not a bad thing. But when the glue is applied poorly or the components are not firmly stuck together, pass on the shoe.
Consider the materials. Fabric shoes will always wear out sooner than a leather shoe. But both have the same criteria for quality – thickness. If a shoe feels thin and flimsy and it is not a sandal, pass on it. Synthetic leathers wear very easily as well, so caveat emptor.
Familiarize oneself with shoe brands. A well-known brand will occasionally put out a poorly made shoe, which is why they end up in a discount store. If the item seems cheap even for the name brand, don’t buy it unless they are a must have.

Filed Under: Popular Trends, Shoes Tagged With: Discount store, Footwear, Shoe, Shopping

How To Take Care Of Your Shoes

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Shoes will wear out faster than any other piece of clothing or accessory that you own. If you want your shoes to last, you will need to take care of them on a regular basis. You will want to clean your shoes regularly if you use them every day. After you wear your shoes, have some sort of brush by your door so when you walk in your house you can brush all the dust off your shoes.

You will want to get some shoe polish and polish your leather shoes as often as needed. If it snows in the winter where you live, polish your shoes before winter and often during the winter to protect the leather. Also, you can buy rain repellent for your shoes if you live in a place where it rains a lot. If your shoes get wet, you will want to air dry them, especially if they are leather. Do not set them by a heater or a fire because this will hurt the leather. For any kind of tennis shoe, stuff them with newspaper so it absorbs the water.

If you live in an area where more severe weather is common, you may get salt lines on your shoes. To get rid of these, simply wipe off your shoes with a wet cloth. You may also want to try water and vinegar.

There are many things you can do to get rid of foot odor, such as shoetrees or powders. You can also put dryer sheets in your shoes while you are not using them. There are some kinds of shoes that require special needs. If you have expensive shoes made out of a special kind of material, you may want to research how to keep these shoes protected and the proper way to clean them. By simply keeping your shoes clean, they will last a lot longer than expected.

Filed Under: Latest Styles, Shoes Tagged With: Foot odor, Footwear, Leather, Shoe, Shoe polish

How To Walk In Heels

Wearing heels is not always comfortable. It also isn’t the healthiest choice, but it is the choice most women choose when they want to look classy and professional. There are ways to make it more comfortable for you. You will not want to start with 6-inch heels. These will kill your feet. You will probably want to start off with something smaller such as kitten heels. These have a small heel so it is easier to walk in, but you will still look attractive in them. After you are comfortable walking in these, move up to 3-inch wedge heels. These shoes are more solid and less wobbly than a thinner, taller heel and it will be easier for you to walk in these. Walk around at home wearing these for a few days or however long it takes you to feel comfortable without stumbling.

When you buy high heels, you will want to pick a pair that has a comfortable insole. You will probably want to start with a 3 or 3 ½ inch heel. When you start walking in heels, take small steps and go from heel to toe. Make sure your legs are relaxed, as not relaxing them will result in cramping. You also want to keep your knees relatively straight.

Walk with confidence. Keep your head up, your feet forward, and try to swing your arms lightly to keep your balance. If you are walking up stairs, you will want to hold on the railing and only put the front of your foot on the stair. When going down, you will want your whole foot on the stairs, but keep your hand on the railing to maintain your balance.

If you are new at walking in heels, you will want to take breaks often to avoid hurting your feet and also avoid looking like you are trying too hard. Make sure you are taking care of your feet by massaging them while you are at home.

Filed Under: Latest Styles, Shoes Tagged With: Foot, High-heeled footwear, Kitten heel, Shoe

How To Care For Designer Shoes

If you have invested in designer shoes, you will want to take proper care for them. You will need a place to store your shoes where it is away from heaters and any damp places in the house. Consider taking your shoes to a cobbler and get shoe taps. You may also want some rubber soles to put on the bottom of your shoes. In the long run, you will be saving money. When storing your shoes, you will want to keep them in the dust bag they came with. If they did not come with one, go out and buy one. This will prevent dust and other things that can potentially harmful to your shoes.

Store your shoes in the box they came with or get a better box. Storing them in a box will help keep them protected. Take the time to clean and polish your shoes. For leather shoes, you will want to get a cleaning kit and shoe polish. Spray your shoes with a stain guard if you are worried about rain or other things that will harm your shoes. You will need to know the proper way to dry your shoes if they get wet. With different kinds of shoes, there are different ways to treat them. For leather shoes, use a dry cloth to wipe off the water and stuff them with newspaper to absorb the moisture. Let them air dry and keep them away from heat. Do not let suede shoes get wet. This will ruin them.

If you have a certain pair of shoes you wear constantly, you will want to take a break from them every now and then and you will probably want to take them to a cobbler at least once a year. You will want to do this before there is any serious damage to your shoe. Always make sure you are cleaning your shoes properly and checking them for damage regularly.

Filed Under: Latest Styles, Shoes Tagged With: Footwear, Shoe, Shoe polish, shoelace

How To Become A Shoe Designer For Nike

Nike has always been the leading designer for sports clothing. Many designers wish to work for Nike because it is so popular. Becoming a designer for Nike requires years of experience and hard work. It requires a lot of effort to make it to the top. First, you will need to study shoe design and fashion. You will need a degree if you want to become a shoe designer and especially if you want to design for a business such as Nike. Most art and design schools offer degrees in fashion design. Research the different programs and choose a program that focuses on shoe design.

You will want to get into an internship. You will want as much experience as you can get as well as an education. Talk to your school’s career advisor about internship possibilities and other things that will help you gain experience. You will need to make a portfolio. Your portfolio will need to include a wide range of your abilities and a lot of creativity. You will probably want to start working in the fashion industry. Employers such as Nike prefer people with as constant work history and have ambition. If you want success and get employed by Nike, you will need to have years of experience working in fashion design, especially shoe design.

After you have a degree, done an internship, and have had some years of experience, apply to Nike. Continually check the career opportunities at Nike through their website. Apply to any and all jobs that are available in your area of expertise. Contact the representatives and ask who hires designers. Send your portfolio, your resume, and your cover letter to these people. Be persistent and determined. A job like working for Nike requires you to be hardworking.

Filed Under: Latest Styles, Shoes Tagged With: Designer, Fashion, Nike, Shoe

Howe To Become A Cobbler

A cobbler designs, fixes, makes, or decorates shoes. To become a cobbler, you will need to understand all you can about shoes. Take some classes that teach you how to design shoes. There are actually schools specifically for shoe designing. However, these schools are usually very expensive. You don’t necessarily have to go to a large school in New York. You can just start where you are at and work on your creativity skills in art classes.

You will want to choose a specialty or an area in which you want to design. Sketch all your ideas on paper and start creating shoes from scratch. There are trade shows you can go to that will connect you with people in the industry. There will be many people you will want to talk to such as designers, marketers, and manufacturers. Learn as much as you can about these people and talk to them about the business.

You will need a business plan to be a cobbler. You need more than the ability to design shoes. You need to know how to run a business. You may want to get some sort of degree or education in business or marketing. You may want to ask a financial planner to help you plan. There is not only one way to become a cobbler. If you think the marketing and designing is too difficult for you, you can work with just painting and dying shoes or just focus on the decorating if that is your strength. Or you can do it all. The marketing, the creating, the designing, and the decorating. Starting a new business is hard, but it is worth it in the end. You can even start a business at home and make shoes for your neighbors. You don’t have to start big.

Filed Under: Latest Styles, Shoes Tagged With: Business, Footwear, New York, Shoe